Of course not! That's why I invented the following barometer for identifying crackpots, so you'll see how much you're not a crackpot. This won't take long. Just read the following essay, then answer the question afterward.You have always, from an early age, been fascinated by the workings of the universe. For longer than you can remember, the suspicion that something is amiss in the prevailing scientific theory has gnawed at you, but only recently, in your maturity, have you recognized how to rectify its flaws.
This is no patchwork repair—it is a fundamental revision in how to perceive the universe. You have discovered this shift by virtue of your stark insight, uncluttered by years of outdated academic instruction. You have been labelled a crackpot, but this has always been the mark of the true genius. Witness Galileo: He had to withstand the prejudices and superstitions of his time, even amongst his colleagues, in his pursuit of the truth! And you, like Galileo, are no crackpot.
Your breakthrough must be distributed personally, as part of a grass-roots campaign, in order to avoid the censorship that is part and parcel of the mainstream scientific press. But you have no doubt that you will succeed; you are brave enough to face the naysayers who have shouted down other talented scientists who lacked your resolve. Witness Einstein: His original mindset differed from the battered viewpoint that jealous criticism reduced him to! You can quote effectively from his writings to support this.
The prevailing scientific theory requires—in fact, relies crucially on—a body of mathematics that was clearly invented ad hoc: for the purpose of showing exactly that for which it was invented. This circular line of reasoning is a basic but crushing flaw. Your alternative, for those who have the vision to properly appreciate it, is conversely a work of great elegance and beauty, which resonates with rather than challenges your acute intuition.
When at last it is properly recognized, your breakthrough will enable great boons for humanity. You will be offered vast rewards for your work, but you will turn most of them down, asking only to continue your scientific investigations without the further distraction of interacting with the scientific community. Those who doubted you will permit this reluctantly, out of respect for your talent, but all the while will admire your work from afar.
OK, now that you've read that (haven't you?!), here is your one question:
On a scale of 0 to 10—0 indicating complete disagreement and 10 indicating complete agreement—how well does the foregoing essay represent your viewpoint?
Scoring:
10: You are a crackpot.
0-9: You are not a crackpot. True crackpots are in for a pound if they're in for a penny.
